Why the World Still Loves Jewish Culture (Starting with the Bagel)
There are moments when being an American or Western Jew can feel more difficult than ever. Nowadays, not a day goes by on which I don't think about rising antisemitism and a political climate in which some of the loudest voices are not just openly anti-Israel, but straight up anti-Jew. It can make it seem as though our identity has become something to defend rather than celebrate.
In moments like these, it is worth remembering the positive things Jewish culture has brought into the world. The traditions, ideas, humor, food, music, and little everyday pleasures that people enjoy, sometimes without even knowing where they came from.
Take the bagel, for example. It has travelled far beyond the Jewish communities that made it famous. You can find bagel shops in cities across the world, run by people from all kinds of backgrounds. It is one of those rare cultural contributions that seems to have found a home almost everywhere.
I was reminded of this by Proy, a receptionist at a gym I visited whilst in Thailand. When she found out I was Jewish, she jubilated and told me how much she loved bagels. In fact, she was so enthusiastic that she begged me to bake some for her.
It was a small interaction, but it stayed with me. It felt refreshing to have your identity celebrated. Let's do more of that now with this article.
In This Guide
A little Jewish history in every bite
The bagel's origins comes with plenty of colourful stories. From it being boiled. because Jews were not allowed to bake to it being derived from the German pretzel. What we do know is that the word bagel appears in records from the Jewish community of Kraków, Poland, in 1610.[1]
Bagels would be among the gifts that could be given to women after childbirth. The round shape was said to be associated with the cycle of life. They became a familiar food among Jewish communities in Eastern Europe (you can read more about the curious origins of Jewish foods here). They were sold in bakeries and market stalls, sometimes stacked on sticks or carried by street vendors. They were practical, portable and affordable.
As Jewish immigrants travelled to North America and Britain, they brought their food traditions with them. Bagels became especially associated with Jewish neighbourhoods in New York, where generations of bakers helped establish the bagel culture that would eventually reach far beyond the Jewish community.[2]
Bagels from rainy London to sunny Thailand
I lived in a non-Jewish area of South London for 20 years. What I found particularly interesting about my local Rye Lane Bagels was not simply that an Indian man was running the shop. It was that he knew where his product came from and was proud to tell me. He was buying his bagels from a Jewish bakery in East London, keeping a connection to the community that helped make the food what it is today.
Then, on Koh Tao in Thailand, I came across Mingle Bagels, a shop run by Burmese immigrants (The name of the popular diving islet Koh Tao translates to "Turtle Island" which makes me wonder if a turtle has ever eaten a bagel). The sandy white beach setting could hardly be further removed from the medieval bakeries of Eastern Europe or the brownstone bakeries of New York, yet there were bagels being made and enjoyed all the same. If you don't believe me, check out this reel reviewing Mingle Bagels in Koh Tao by Thai content creator Sprite.
And gym receptionist Proy with her enthusiasm was another reminder that food can create an instant connection. She did not need to know the history of the bagel to love it. Once she discovered I was Jewish, though, she was delighted to tell me how much she liked them and asked me to bake some for her.
I rather like that. A bagel can be a breakfast, a business, a favourite snack or the beginning of a conversation about Jewish culture.
A little Yiddish has gone a long way
There is another Jewish connection hiding in plain sight: the language.
The word bagel comes to English through Yiddish, and it is one of many Yiddish words that have become part of everyday American vocabulary. Think of schmear, schlep, chutzpah, oy vey and mensch. You might not speak Yiddish, but there is a good chance you use a word or two that came from it.
For many American Jews, these expressions are part of family life. They are the words heard around the kitchen table, passed down by parents and grandparents, and sprinkled into conversations without much thought (we also have a whole guide to Retro and Modern Hebrew Slang).
A person ordering a bagel with a schmear might be participating in a small piece of Jewish-American food culture without even realising it.
Sharing the bagel, remembering its story
I don't think the bagel needs protecting from people who aren't Jewish. Quite the opposite. It is wonderful that people from different backgrounds have embraced it, opened shops, developed new fillings and made it part of their own food cultures.
Food has always moved between communities. Recipes travel, ingredients change, and new traditions develop along the way. That is part of what makes food so interesting.
But enjoying a food and knowing where it comes from can go hand in hand. We can celebrate the world loving our foods, while also remembering the Jewish communities whose history helped bring the bagel to the world.
At a time when Jewish identity is so often discussed through politics and conflict, it is worth making room for the everyday things that bring people together. Jewish culture is also food, language, humour, family recipes, music and the little traditions that make people feel connected to generations before them.
The bagel is a pretty good ambassador for all of that. It is familiar, delicious, easy to share and has a story worth telling.
So the next time you pick up a bagel, enjoy every bite. And perhaps spare a thought for the Jewish bakers who helped make it a worldwide favourite.
And if someone asks why you are so enthusiastic about bagels, well, you've now got a good story to tell.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the bagel originate?
The first recorded mention of the bagel was in 1610 within the Jewish community of Kraków, Poland.
What makes a bagel a bagel?
Traditional bagels are made from a yeasted wheat dough that is boiled in water before being baked, giving them their signature chewy interior and browned, crisp exterior.
Sources and Further Reading
- Maria Balinska, The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread (Yale University Press, 2008). JSTOR. ↩
- YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe, Bagel. YIVO. ↩
- University of Southampton Eprints. eprints.soton.ac.uk.
- https://swedishness.ch/blogs/news/all-about-bagels-the-fascinating-history-of-the-funny-shaped-bread?srsltid=AYCX9vJjea3T1PioOarQo7_EjNDA4aTXn7pCVYkoo_LJRQrhkD-9Ncxc
A little Jewish history never hurt anyone. Especially when served with cream cheese. Shop the food collection.
